Looping mechanism for book stitching machine



July 23, 1957 c. SCHRAMM 2,800,095

LOOP-INC MECHANISM FOR BOOK STITQHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 21,1955 2 Sheets-Shet 1 FIGJI.

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INVENTOR CARL SCHRAMM mwhfmmlr/ ATTORNEYS July 23, 1957 CSCHRAMM LOOPING MECHANISM FOR BOOK STITCHING MACHINE Filed'Nov. 21, 1955,

2 sneaks-sheet 2 FIG .lNl/ENTOR CARL .SCHRAMM A T TORNE V5 LOOPING MECHANISM FOR BOOK STITCHING MACHINE Carl Schramm, North Coventry, Conn., assignor to The Srnyth Manufacturing Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 21, 1955, Serial'No. 548,156

3 Claims. (Cl. 112-21) The invention relates generally to a. cyclically operable book stitching machine of the type wherein successive book signatures are fed to a stitching position with their backs facing upwardly and thereafter. beyond said position along a signature guideway, wherein tapes are fed simultaneously with the signatures so that said tapes lie transversely across the backs of the signatures, wherein each signature at said stitching position and the corresponding portions of the tapes are stitched to provide stitching that extends along the tapes andcooperates with said tapes to connect the several adjacent signatures constituting one stitched book and wherein there is a mechanism for cutting the threads of the stitching that would otherwise connect the last signature of a stitched book with the next following signature. The invention relates more specifically to mechanism connected for at least semi-automatic operationin synchronism with said thread cutting mechanism and adapted for engaging said tapes to form loops therein that are between the last signature of reach stitched book and the next following signature.

The drawings show in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that various changes may be. made from the construction shown and that the drawings are not to be construed. as defining, or limiting the scope of the invention, the" claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings Fig. l is a combined side and vertical sectional view, partly schematic, of the upper portion of a book stitching machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on. a slightly. reduced scale taken along the line 22, of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but on a larger scale, this view showing some of the parts in different relative positions.

Fig, 4 is a top view of some of the presser plates.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of one presser plate.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 but showing some of the parts in difierent relative positions.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary viewsimilar to Fig. 6 but showing some of the parts in still different relative positions.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the lower portion of a book stitching machine embodying the invention, the upper part 'of this view showing some of the same parts shown in the lower part of Fig. 1.

Except for the semi-automatic tape looping mecha nism to which the invention more particularly relates, the machine is of known construction and a brief description will sutlice. Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 7, the machine comprises an. upper frame 10 which may be a casting. Secured to the frame 10 in central position are several presser plates 12 supported by a fixed transverse bar 14. Signatures A, A are fed under the presser plates and toward the left, said signanited States Patent 0 2,800,095 Patented July 23, 1957 "ice tures being supported on longitudinal rails 15 which constitute a signature platform or guideway. The presser plates 12 and the stitching mechanism associated therewith are hereinafter more fully described.

The signatures A, while partly open, are successively fed transversely onto a movable signature arm or saddle 16 which successively supports said signatures in a predetermined stitching position. During each cycle, the saddle is in the position shown in Fig. 1 for the stitching of the signature carried thereby. The saddle has an inverted V-shape and when in stitching position its apex is close to the presser plates. After the stitching operation the saddle is swung forwardly and downwardly so as to free the stitched signature and receive a new signature and it is then returned to said stitching position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2', a needle cross head 17 is of needle blocks 18 each carrying a needle 20. Also carried by the cross head 17 are rotatable arbors 22 to the lower end of each of which is attached a hook 24 which cooperates with an adjacent needle in the stitching operation. Each arbor 22. and the hook 24 thereon is rotated or oscillated by a transversely reciprocable rack 26 meshing with a pinion 28 on said arbor. Threads B extend from spools or cops C on holders 30 and over and through suitable guiding and t ensioning means to the several needles 20.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the several needles 20 and the several hooks 24 are reciprocated through holes in a similar number of presser plates 12. The needles and hooks also pass through holes in the top of the signature. arm or saddle 16. Cooperating with the needles and hooks below the presser plates 12 and within the before-mentioned swinging V-shaped saddle 16 are punches 32 and loopers 34. The punches and loopers arecarried bysaid saddle andthey are actuated at proper times by known mechanisms. The punches 32 are reciprocated upwardly and downwardly for piercing holes in the signatures for the passage of the needles and hooks, and the loopers 34 are moved transversely at the proper times to cooperate with the needles and hooks in the stitching operation. The action of said needles, hooks and loopers is such as to produce chain stitching that connects the several signatures constituting a book.

For cutting or severing the threads that would otherwise' connect the last signature of a book with the next 40 which permits the passage through it of a hook 24.

and his fastened to the under side of the presser plate bar 14 in a permanent position, as for instance by means of screws 41. The presser plate section 38 has slots 42,

' 42 for the passage through it of a corresponding needle 20 and this presser plate section is fastened to a bar- 44 that is reciprocable in a transverse groove in the under side of the presser plate bar 14, this bar connecting all of the movable sections 38 of the presser plates. The bar 44 may be moved first in one direction and then, after a dwell, in the opposite direction by a. lever 46 actuated by means to be hereinafter fully described; The lever 46. carries a pin 47 which enters a notch in a block attached to said bar 44.

Each hook 24 reciprocates through the hole 40 in the corresponding fixedvpresser plate section 36, and the needle 22 reciprocates through one of the slots 42, 42 in the corresponding movable presser plate section 38.

The particular slot through which the needle reciprocates depends upon the adjustment of the needle and upon the location of saidmova ble presser plate section, As illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, one needle would normally reciprocatethrough the slot 42' in the position However, when the movable section 38 of the presser plate-is moved transversely away from the fixed section 36, the needle would reciprocate through the next slot 42" in the position 20". Upon such movement of the presser plate section 38, the thread carried by the needle would be looped over the division 46 between the slots 42 and 42f. The shift first in one direction and then in the opposite direction of. the movable sections 38 of the several presser'plates 12 is effected immediately following the stitching of the last signature of each book.

Atttached to the under face of each movable section 38 of the presser plates is 'a series of J-shaped blades 48, the cutting edges of which diverge toward the rear. Threads looped over one of the divisions 46 between the needle slots 42 and 42 are drawn back as the signatures are stitched and pushed rearwardly and such threads are eventually severed by the inclined edges of the blade 48. This, however, does not occur until several signatures have been stiched and pushed rearwardly, and thus the threads will not pull out, nor will the signatures loosen, when the signatures of one stitched book are separated from those of the next following book. Said blades 48 and said movable presser plate sections'38 collectively constitute the before-mentioned thread cutting means. It will be observed that said means is near the stitching position and near the entrance to the horizontal guideway for the stitched signatures. The mechanism for operating said thread cutting means is hereinafter described.

Several tapesD are interposed between the bottom of the presser plates 12 and the tops or backs of the signatures A, A, said tapes extending from front to rear and being so positioned that they are stitched in place simultaneously with the stitching of the signatures. The tapes serve to reinforce the stitching and thus serve to more securely connect the several signatures that constitute a book. The tapes are fed from'coils E in holders 50, suitable tensioning devices being provided at 52 and a stationary horizontal guide bar being provided at 54.

Cooperating with the guide bar 54 is a closely adjacent horizontal looper bar 56, the tapes being guided between said bars. The looper bar 56 is vertically movable, being carried at its ends by vertical links 57 and 58 which depend from arms 59 and 60 secured to a horizontal rock shaft 61. The link 57 and the arm 59 are shown in Fig. 8 and the link 58 and the arm 60 are shown in Fig. 1. The looper bar 56 is normally in its upper position as shown by full lines in Fig. l, and the tapes are merely fed between the bars 54 and 56 to lie along the tops or backs of the signatures as they are pushed rearwardly along the guideway 15. However, when the number'of signatures required for a book have been fed and stitched, the looper bar 56 is moved momentarily downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6. The downward movement of the bar 56 serves to position additional lengths of tapes adjacent the last stitched signature, corresponding lengths of tape being withdrawn from the coils E. The

movement of the next signature to the stitching position serves to press said additional lengths of tapes to form downwardly eXtending loops F, F between adjacent signatures, that is, between the last signature of one stitched book and the first signature of the next following book.

For convenience of illustration, the thickness of the tape 7 D is exaggerated in Figs. 1, 6 and 7 of the drawings and the thicknesses of the loops F and the widths of the spaces between adjacent stiched books are correspondingly exaggerated. The looping bar 56 and the parts for operating it as described are sometimes herein referred to as looping mechanism.

During each cycle of operation of the machine a sig 4 nature A is delivered to the movable saddle 16 and the signature is supported by said saddle until it is stitched as described. After stitching, and as before stated, the saddle is swung forwardly and downwardly to free the stitched signature. Immediately following the last said movement of the saddle, the looper bar is moved as before described to form the tape loops. Immediately. after the return of the looper bar to its normal upper position, a push back bar 62 is pivotally moved downwardly and rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 7, said bar moving about a horizontal pivotal axis at 64. The push back bar is carried by arms 66 and 68 at its ends, the arm 66 being shown in Fig. 8 and the arm 68 being shown in Fig. I. Said push back bar 62 engages the newly stiched signature and pushes it rearwardly. As soon as the signature has been pushed back, a plurality of hold back rods 69 move downwardly in unison through holes in the presser plates 12 to hold the signature in its last said position, the push back bar 62 being then returned to its positionof rest as shown in Fig. l. The hold back rods 69 remain in their lower positions until a new signature is moved into stitching position by the movable saddle 16 and they are then raised. After the stitching of each signature, the stitched signature is pushed rearwardly or backwardly along the guideway 15 by the next following signature advanced by the push back'bar 62. The stationary tape guide bar 54 is so located that it is above .the path of movement of the push back barf62. The supports for said guide bar 54 are so spaced as to be between the pivoted arms 66 and '68 that carry the push back bar 62. Thus the guide bar and its supports do not interfere with the movement of the push b ack bar. 7 t

Referring more particularly to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the machine includes a lower frame or base 70 which carries the said upper frame 10. Mounted in suitable bearings in the base 70 is a rotatable main shaft 72 making one revolution during each cycle. By means of known mechanism connected with the shaft 70, the signature feeding mechanism, the stitching mechanism and other parts of the machine are operated in the proper cyclic relationship. 7 v Secured to the'drive shaft 72 near the left end thereof is a cam 74 having a concentric outer portion and a relatively short low point or recessed portion 74'. A lever 76 is positioned adjacent the cam, said lever being pivotal-. ly movableabout the axis of a transverse horizontal shaft 78 and having a normal lower inoperative position. The

tive position when the roller engages the concentric portion of the cam. An approximately vertical link 82 is pivotally connected at its lower end with the lever 76. The link 82 and the lever 76 are biased upwardly by a spring 84 connected to said link. A latch 86 having a tooth entered in a notch 87 in said lever 76 normally prevents any substantial upward movement of the lever, even when the roller is disengaged from the concentric portion'of the cam. The latch 86 is connected with the left end of a transverse horizontal rock shaft 88, and said latch 86 is so connected with said shaft that it has limited lost motion relatively to said shaft. A spring 90 biases the latch forwardly into its lever retaining position. a

A foot treadle 92 at the front of the machine, and preferably near the center thereof, is pivotally movable about atransverse horizontal axis at 94. The treadle 92 has a rearward extension 96 pivotally connected with a link 98 which extendsupwardly and rearwardly. The upper rear end of the link 98 is connected with an arm 100 on the shaft 88, preferably near the center of said shaft. When the treadle is pressed downwardly, the link 98 is moved upwardly and rearwardly and the arm 100 andthe shaft 88 and the latch 86 are moved clockwise in opposition to the spring 90 so that the latch is out of lever engaging position. The link 98 and the arm 100 are moved upwardly in opposition to a spring 102 connected at its lower end to a stationary member. 104, said spring cooperating with the spring 90. As soon as pressure on the treadle 92. is released, the spring 102 returns the parts other than the latch to the positions shown in Fig. 8.- An adjustable screw 105 carried by the stationary member 104 serves as a stop to limit the return movements of the last said parts. The beforementioned lost motion connection between the latch 86 and the shaft 88 permits said latch to initially abut against the end of the lever 76, instead of having its tooth entered in the lever notch 87.

The lever 76 does not immediately move upwardly after movement of the. latch 86. With the cam 74 in 6 nected at its lower end with the lever 124 and is pivotally connected atits upper end with the rear end of a lever 134. The lever 134 is mounted between its ends for pivotal movement about a transverse horizontal axis "at 136. An approximately vertical link 138 is pivotally connected at its lower end with the front portion of the lever 134 and is pivotally connected at its upper end with the before-mentioned lever 59. Preferably thejlever 134 the position shown the lever 76 cannot move upwardly,

but it is so moved by the spring 84 as the low point 74 of the cam. moves to roller engaging position. Thereafter the roller 80 and the 1ever-76 are moved downwardly by the cam and. when. they reach their lowermost positions the latch 86 has been released and has returned to its operative position. i

The upper end of the link 82 is connected with a lever 106 mountedto oscillate about the axis at 108 of a transverse horizontal axis which is not shown. A ratchet wheel 110 is secured to the last said shaft and the lever 106 carries a spring actuated pawl 112 which is engageable with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. As the link 82 is moved upwardlyby the spring 84 under the control of the cam 74, the pawl 112 is moved clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 3 so as to engage the next ratchet tooth. When the lever 76 and the link 82 are returned downwardly by the cam 74, the pawl 1-12 moves the ratchet wheel 110 counterclockwise through an angle equal to the angle between two adjacent ratchet teeth. Preferably a detent wheel 114 is connected with the ratchet wheel 110 and with the shaft therefor, said wheel 114 having peripheral notches corresponding in number to the ratchet teeth on the wheel 110. A spring-pressed detent 116 is adapted to enter the notches in the wheel 114 so as to tend to retain the ratchet wheel and its shaft in the positions to which they are moved by the pawl 112.

Connected to the transverse shaft that carries the wheels 110 and 114 is a multiple lobed cam, not shown, which serves upon each partial rotation of said shaft and by means of a lever, not shown, to oscillate a longitudinal horizontal rock shaft 118. Secured to the shaft 118 is the before-mentioned lever 46 having engagement at its upper end by means of the pin 47 with the transversely movable bar 44 carrying the presser plate sections 38. 1

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that upon each downward movement of the treadle 92, the cam 74 acts at the proper point in the cycle to cause the movement of the lever 74 and the link 82 downwardly so as to operate the thread cutting means and thus initiate the cutting of the threads. The described parts constitute control mechanism for operating the thread cutting means.

A second cam 122 is secured to the main drive shaft 72 adjacent the cam 74. A second lever 124 is pivotally movable adjacent said cam 122 and said second lever is preferably movable independently of the lever 76 about the axis 78. The lever 124 carries a roller 126 which is engageable with the periphery of the cam 122. The lever 124 and the roller 126 are biased upwardly by a spring 128. The lever 124 carries a device normally engaging said lever 76 to maintain said lever 124 in a lower normal inoperative position when said lever 76 is in its lower inoperative position. Said device preferably is an adjustable stop screw 130 which is adapted to abut at its upper end against the bottom of the lever 76. With the lever 124 in its lower inoperative position the roller 126 engages only the outer concentric portion of the cam 122 and the cam does not move the said lever.

An approximately vertical link 132 is pivotally conis provided with a longitudinal. slot 140 so that the pivotal connection for the link 138 may be longitudinally adjusted. Thus the extent of movement of the link 138 may be varied through a considerable range. Preferably a spring 142 is provided for biasing the lever 134 in the clockwise direction, this spring supplementing the action of the spring 128. The looping bar 56 and the described parts for operating it constitute looping mechanism.

So long as substantial upward movement of the lever 76 is prevented by the latch 86, the lever 124 is retained in its lower position and the looping bar 56 is retained in its upper position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. When the lever 76 is released and moves upwardly to effect the cut-off of the threads as previously described the lever 124 is no longer held by said lever 76 and the lever 124 is free to move upwardly when permitted by the cam 122. When the recessed portion 122' of the cam 122 7 reaches the roller 126, the lever 124and the link 132 are moved upwardly and the lever 134 is moved in the clockwise direction, these parts being moved by the springs 1:28 and 142. When the lever 134 is moved a clockwise, the-link 138 is moved downwardly, thus moving the arm 59 and the shaft 61 and the arm 60 in the clockwise direction. As the arms 59 and 60 move in the clockwise direction, the links 57 and 58 move downwardly to cause the looping bar 56 to move downwardly to the Fig. 6 position so as to effect looping in the manner previously described. Then the cam 122 returns the parts to their-normal positions, the looping bar being in its upper position. When the lever 76 is restored to its normal lower position, the stop screw prevents further movement of the looping mechanism until said lever 76 is again released for upward movement.

In operation, the machine acts during each cycle to feed and stitch a signature in the manner described, the tapes D being stitched simultaneously with each signature. At a short interval before the stitching of the last signature of a book the operator presses the treadle 92 and thus initiates the operation of the control mechanism that causes the thread cutting means to cut the threads that would otherwise connect the last signature of the stitched book with the next following signature. The

pressing of the treadle merely subjects the control mechanism to the action of the cam 74 and the actual timing is controlled by said cam. When the cam causes movement of the lever 76, the bar 44 is moved transversely and the blades 48 eventually cut the threads, all as previously explained.

Substantially simultaneously with the initiation of the operation of the said control mechanism, the tape looping mechanism is operated to form the downwardly extending tape loops F, F. More specifically, the upright movement of the lever 76 of the control mechanism frees the lever 124 of the looping mechanism so that the last said lever is subjected to the action of the cam 122 and the actual timing of the looping action is controlled by said cam in automatic synchronism with the action of the cutting means.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a cyclically operable'book stitching machine of the type wherein successive book signatures are fed to a stitching position with their backs facing upwardly and thereafter beyond said position along a signature guide- Way and wherein tapes are fed simultaneously with the signatures so that said tapes lie transversely across the backs of the signatures and wherein each signature when at said stitching position and also the corresponding portions of the tapes are stitched to provide stitching that extends along the tapes and cooperates with said tapes to connect theseveral adjacent signatures constituting one stitched book, .the combination of thread cutting means located near said stitching position and near the entrance end of said signature guideway, control mechanism for causing said thread cutting means to operate after the stitching of the last signature of a stitched book so as to cut the threads that would otherwise connect said last signature with the next following signature, 2. horizontal looping bar normally located above the paths of move ment of said tapes to said stitching position which bar is vertically movable to engage said tapes, and looping mechanism connected for operation in automatic synchronism with said control mechanism and serving to cause downward and upward movement of said looping bar after the stitching of said last signature of a stitched book and before the movement of the next following signature to said stitching position so that said bar forms downwardly extending tape loops that are between said last signature of said stitched book and said next following signature. 1 a

2. A book stitching machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein there is a main shaft making one revolution during each cycle, wherein the control mechanism for the thread cutting means includes a cam on said shaft and includes a lever which has a normal inoperative position 30 and is adapted to be moved from said position as the result of the movement of said cam, said lever when so moved serving to cause the operation of said cutting means, wherein there is a latchhaving a normal position in which it prevents movement of said lever substantially out of its saidnormal inoperative position, wherein there is a means operableraftera plurality of cycles for moving said latch so as to release said lever for movement as aforesaid out of its inoperative position so as to cause the operation of saidcutting means, and wherein said looping mechanism includes a device. engaging said lever in its said normal inoperative position to prevent operation of said looping mechanism which device releases said looping mechanism for operation when said leveris released for movement after the said plurality of cycles.

3. A book stitching machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein the looping mechanism includes a second cam on said shaft and includes a second lever which has a normal inoperative position and is'adapted to be moved from said position as the result of movement of said second cam, said second lever when so moved serving to cause the operation of said looping mechanism, and wherein said second lever carrie a device normally engaging the first said lever to maintain the second lever in its said normal inoperative position when the first lever is in its said normal inoperative position so that said looping mechanism is prevented from operation except upon operation of the control mechanism for the thread cutting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 924,274 Rich June 8, 1909 1,995,754 Schramm Mar. 26, 1935 2,027,105 Kleinschmit et al Jan. 7,,1936 

